New York actors: we are so eager to perform, so ardent to get on a stage. Give us a space, any space, and an audience, and we will rock the hell out of it. Even if that space is 39 degrees and the back drop barrels upon barrels of alcohol.

Last Monday night, we got drunk at New York Distilling Company. In the room where the magic of distilling process takes place (and thus has no heating), Random Access Theatre Company made theatre magic with a Drunk Restoration Comedy reading of:

Meaneth Girls or The Tragedy of Regina George

“Shut up! Shut up!” 

Or, as we said Monday night, “Stop thy tongue! Stop thy tongue!”

Verily, hast thou devised the conceit? T’was the happy marriage bed of William Shakespeare the poet and Tina Fey the wit. Mean Girls, where the reigning monarch falls spectacularly from grace, is a perfect story to receive a Shakespearean makeover. Actor/writers Erin Leigh Schmoyer and Robert Price had this brilliant realization and transposed the script into prose for us to perform drunk. Huzzah!

Behold, co-writer and host Robert Price pouring shots!

Drunk Restoration Comedy brings together a group of actors, improvisers, and comedians to perform a reading of a smash-hit comedy from the English Restoration Period (1660-1689), while getting smashed!

This drunk reading of Meaneth Girls featured:

Mackenzie Menter, Laurel Andersen, and Lindsey Kelly as The Plastics.

Gretchen, Karen, and Regina.

“On Odin’s Day, we celebrate with pink.”

Yours truly as Mrs. George.

Jessica Mosher and Mike Gregorek as Cady and Aaron.

Jess’ fetch t-shirt reads: ON WEDNESDAYS WE SMASH THE PATRIARCHY.

And in case you were skeptical, yes, we ACTUALLY do get drunk!

Maddie McClouskey as Ms. Norbury.

Joe Raik as Coach Carr.

Levi Penley as Seth Owens, and Sara Ornelas and Andrew Orsie as Janis Ian and Damian.

Eric Austin as Principle Duvall.

And Gabe Templin as Caroline Kraft (and others).

Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for, our drunken rendition of the iconic Jingle Bell Rock.

Raisest thy hand if thou dost recognize this other iconic moment, aye?

I got to play “Bethany” in addition to Mrs. George. Which means I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity….

…to talk about my heavy flow and wide-set vagina in Shakespearean verse. A dream come true!

All players chant: JANIS! JANIS! JANIS! JANIS!

We had so much fun, actors and audience, that we forgot it was freezing. Plus the bar area was always warm and a chill (figuratively!) place to grab a drink any night!

Our next performance however, will be warm and cozy and chock-a-block full of old-fashioned holiday cheer! Drunk Restoration Comedy is getting into the holiday spirit(s) with our annual DRUNK reading of A Christmas Carol!

Kick off the month with us on Friday December 1st at 10pm at The Players Theatre, $12 tix at drunkrestoration.com (which includes a drink) AND wrap up the month with us on Saturday December 30th at 9:30pm at QED: A Place to Show & Tell, $8 tix at qedastoria.com Don’t wait, get your tickets now!

Thanks Rebecca Knowles for taking my camera and snapping these photos from the audience! She’s a blogger too so check her out!